Friday, September 21, 2012

Out of the Way

There is a reason smooth talking smiling, non smiling charlatans have been selling snake oil to a mostly really nice public since the dawn of time and snake oil. They will in some fashion reach into you, tell you what you want to hear. It is your fault, it is not your fault. Take this, buy that, follow me and you will be okay. Everyone wants to hear that they will be okay.  There are not too many that will look you dead in the eye and say, be quiet. Let me teach you or get on home and stop wasting both of our time.

Peter Campbell won’t say that either. Over the years I have watched him be ever patient, trying again and again to make a point that often flies right over the head of the person that is busy explaining to him, whatever it is. They are in the way. They can’t hear.

I woke up this morning at 3:45, these thoughts running through my brain. It is my goal this weekend to not be in the way. To be quiet and let Peter teach me whatever it is he sees that I need to learn.

Awful lot of faith in someone’s opinion, you might ask? You bet. I know because I can see a whole lot of what is going on between a horse and it’s person, seeing how they approach it, catch it, lead it, saddle it, etc. And I do not have the eyes, heart and mind that first Peter was born with and then was educated by Tom Dorrance.  Then, maybe there is the thousands of horses, people and situations that Peter has seen and dealt with over the years.  Yes, I trust his opinion.

You might remember a year ago this time, I didn’t necessarily feel this way. I had hung over the fence and watched, quite a few times. Him and Buck, both. Picked up some good stuff, went home, tried it out, got better results than I was getting before.

The real magic didn’t happen til I climbed in the saddle, in the arena.   Quite a bit of what happened last  September, I didn’t understand til this past May. So . . . what is in store for me and Royal T this weekend? I haven’t a clue, just want to stay out of the way and let it happen.  Stay tuned, there will be more . . .

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm looking forward to hearing all about it - you have a way of writing up what you experience and learn that is very interesting and helpful.

I feel very much the same way about Mark Rashid. There are lots of trainers out there, some good and some not so good, and then there are masters. Sounds like your guy is one of those.

Shoofly said...

Waiting to hear about it! Glad you get the opportunity to go to a trainer you have such faith in-- good for you!

Jamie said...

So wanted to see you and Royal work this afternoon, but had to run Jayda home to get her 4H info in - can't wait til tomorrow!